The 8th-grade math team at Santa Fe Junior High School in Santa Fe, Texas, is the winner of the Shirley Hord Learning Team Award. This award is given to a team of teachers that demonstrates Learning Forward’s definition of professional learning in action.

Ten teams from schools across the United States submitted nominations. Each school submitted a video and documentation as evidence of its professional learning work.

“All of our learning teams have been using job-embedded professional learning tools to identify specific student challenges and have set goals that will raise our students’ achievement levels,” said Rachel Blundell, principal of Santa Fe Junior High. “The 8th-grade math team is one great example of that ongoing work.”

Through an analysis of data from student achievement tests, walk-throughs, and teacher observations, the team identified their problem of practice and outlined specific goals. The team has developed instructional strategies and uses meeting time to discuss successes and challenges. The learning team includes teachers, Blundell, and an instructional coach and curriculum specialist.

“The 8th-grade math team at Santa Fe Junior High exemplifies collective commitment to student learning,” said Stephanie Hirsh, Learning Forward’s executive director. “We know that collaborative learning, when it includes critical elements of our definition and standards, leads to increased student achievement. This award honors the research Shirley Hord has conducted on the attributes and effects of successful professional learning communities.”

The award includes funds to support three representatives of the winning team from Santa Fe Junior High to participate in Learning Forward’s 2013 Summer Conference. The winning school will also receive $2,500 to support collaborative professional learning and a gift of Corwin books for the school’s professional library.